Kristin Ford is a freelance writer who lives in Orlando. She wrote about The Walt Disney Co. during many of her 17 years as a journalist at the Orlando Sentinel, before joining the AllEars.Net staff. Kristin writes about Disney news from a parent's perspective, covering Walt Disney World, Disney Cruise Line, Disney Channel, Disney Publishing and Disney Interactive and more. You can follow her adventures through the parks with her husband and two elementary-school-age children here and on Twitter @Kristin_B_Ford.

Animal Kingdom's newest attraction, Wilderness Explorers, is built around a theme from the Disney-Pixar film "Up." One of the main characters in the 2009 animated movie, Russell, is a Wilderness Explorer, which is a fictional version of Boy Scouts. As Russell is working to earn his final merit badge, he gets caught up in an elderly man's drama and ends up traveling on an unexpected journey.

Now Walt Disney World's newest theme park has developed a Wilderness Explorers program that encourages kids to learn about specific areas of their world by earning merit badges, similarly to how the group functions in the movie. The Wilderness Explorers attraction at Animal Kingdom, which debuted June 1, is open to all guests, though the materials are geared toward kids ages 7 to 10.

With both of my children in the target age range and involved in real-life Scouting, our family was eager to try the new attraction this weekend. To get started, we visited the first troop leader post, which is located just over the bridge on the edge of Discovery Island. (There are other starting points in Africa, Asia, DinoLand U.S.A. and Rafiki's Planet Watch.)

Troop leaders initiate kids by teaching them the Explorer call, which has three hand gestures and corresponding vocals: "The wilderness must be explored!" with hands framing a view; "Caw Caw" with hands shaping a bird; and "Roar!" like a lion (or other large beast) with paws up and out. They also say the Wilderness Explorers' Motto, which is a short pledge to be "a friend to all, be it plants or fish or tiny mole." Like real-life Scouts, kids earn their first badges after mastering the group's mission statements, and they receive a handbook outlining the other merit badges they can earn and a sticker to wear in place of "uniform."

Wilderness Explorers can complete 30 additional badges -- which actually are stickers placed in their handbooks -- in any order or timeframe they choose. They don't have to be finished on the same day.

In several sections of the park, multiple badge locations are grouped together, making it easy to complete related badges together. For example, six Wilderness Explorers stations can be found at Rafiki's Planet Watch. Here's a plan: Ride the Wildlife Express Train to Rafiki's Planet Watch, stop to earn the Habitat badge on the walk to the Conservation Station. Once inside, learn about Animal Nutrition, Veterinary medicine and Recycling to earn badges, which are requirements for the Conservation badge. Step outside into the Affection Section, a petting yard, and earn the Hand Washing badge after visiting the animals. Be sure to check the map in the handbook indicating locations for each badge to plot your course.

Habitat badge

Animal Nutrition badge

Veterinary badge

Brushing animals before earning Hand Washing badge

Some badges are more interactive than others, and that certainly affects the interest levels of the kids participating. My children really enjoyed the Animal Find badge, which challenged them to find 22 specific animals anywhere in Animal Kingdom during their day. When we stopped at the locations for the Asian and African Culture badges, they were taught a foreign-language phrase and were less enthusiastic about those experiences. Overall, my 8-year-old daughter was more excited about the Wilderness Explorers attraction than my 10-year-old son. She was happy to learn at each station and wanted to complete as many badges as possible. My son, on the other hand, was embarrassed to wear the Wilderness Explorers sticker and thought many of the exercises at the stations were too easy for him.

African Culture badge

Wilderness Explorers has replaced the Kids' Discovery Club program, which featured six learning stations throughout the park. Those stations, such as one where kids dig for fossils and then assemble a color-coded dinosaur, have been absorbed into the new program as badge locations.

Wilderness Explorers is included in regular admission to Animal Kingdom. The attraction opens at 10 a.m. daily, one hour after the rope drop.

Thank you again for this reivew and blog. Along with the Pirate's Adventure that you blogged about, I'll be showing this to my 11 & 8 year old boys as well. Seeing this blog has gotten me excited about it. I love that they worked in the Wilderness Explorer call and pledge :)
These kinds of things in the parks are such a great addition. It gives them something to do rather than bouncing from ride to ride and show to show. Hopefully it will go with our more laid back approach on this next trip.

A very nice way for a young family to enjoy and learn about AK.
It does mimic the face masks and stamps from EPCOT World Showcase.
So, it is a wonderful opportunity for children ages 7 - 10 and maybe could include a sibling a bit younger or older.
Nice free souvenir too.

My kids (9-year-old son, 7-year-old daughter) absolutely loved Wilderness Explorers. Over two days, they got all their badges, did the call about a thousand times, and had a blast. I so appreciate the efforts Disney has made over the last few years to engage boys (and girls) who are princessed out. Between Wilderness Explorers, Pirate Adventures, and Sorcerers, I was so impressed. My son, especially, really enjoyed these new experiences.

Its not just for kids!!! My teenagers were not interested, but I am an Up (and Russell) fan, so I determined to become a Senior Wilderness Explorer myself. It was a fantastic way to see the park in ways I never had before, to stop and really enjoy the animals and the fantastic staff with their knowledge and commitment. Yes, it took several hours, but I incorporated it into my park exploration and it fit in great with attractions, shows, and all the Animal Kingdom experiences.

Thank you for your informative post about the Wilderness Explorers program! We are planning a trip with our children (ages 6-10) this winter and we plan to do this program. I was wondering if you remember which rides were required for this program. I am a crazy planner and I am working on our itinerary, but I am unsure of which rides to plan without knowing which ones are part of the program.

Thank you for any info!

KRISTIN: No rides are required for Wilderness Explorers. Because it's a self-guided program, your children can earn the badges in between whatever itinerary you decide.